Assembly Elections

Can Thalapathy Vijay turn celebrity appeal into votes in Tamil Nadu polls?

Actor Vijay's political debut may disrupt Tamil Nadu's two-party system, but analysts say converting popularity into votes remains a key challenge ahead of 2026 polls

DMK promises ₹2k aid for women, free laptops for students in poll campaign

Addressing a large gathering, Udhayanidhi Stalin outlined a series of welfare promises aimed at strengthening social support systems and boosting educational access in the state

Assembly elections: Assam sees 85% turnout, Kerala records over 78%

Record turnout in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry signals high-stakes contests as ruling alliances seek third terms amid tight races and strong voter participation

PM Modi appeals to people of Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry to vote

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appealed to the people of Assam, Kerala and Puducherry to exercise their franchise in large numbers in the assembly elections in the two states and the Union Territory. In separate messages in English, besides Assamese, Malayalam and Tamil -- the regional languages of Assam, Kerala and Puducherry respectively -- PM Modi particularly requested the youth and the women to step forward and vote in large numbers. "As polling begins for the Assam Assembly elections 2026, I appeal to the people of Assam to exercise their franchise in large numbers. I hope that the state's youth and women voters participate enthusiastically and make this election a celebration of democracy and public duty," he said in a post on X. Calling upon the people of Kerala to vote in large numbers, the prime minister said the record participation in the voting will add vigour to Kerala's democratic spirit. "I particularly request the youth and women of the state to step forw

Voting begins in Assam, Keralam, and Puducherry; results on May 4

Voting will be held for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Keralam, and 30 in Puducherry in this phase of the election

Fewer sittings, quicker Bill passage mark Assam Assembly's functioning

Assam Assembly saw reduced sitting days but faster lawmaking, with most Bills passed within a week, raising concerns over limited debate and legislative scrutiny

TN polls: Udhayanidhi Stalin files nomination from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni

DMK Youth Wing Secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday filed his nomination papers for the upcoming April 23 Assembly elections from the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency, seeking a second consecutive term. The 48-year-old DMK scion arrived at the venue following a massive roadshow that saw thousands of party cadres and supporters lining the streets. Accompanied by senior party leaders and local functionaries, Udhayanidhi submitted his documents to the Returning Officer shortly before noon. Speaking to reporters after the filing, the Deputy CM exuded confidence in the 'Dravidian Model' of governance. "We definitely will win this time, women especially are very happy with the transformative work done by our leader, M K Stalin, over the last five years. Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni is my home, and the overwhelming support today shows that our victory will be a foregone conclusion. I will be campaigning in the constituency this evening," he said. He also reiterated the party's stand again

Tennis legend Leander Paes joins BJP ahead of West Bengal elections

Olympic medallist Leander Paes joined the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the West Bengal Assembly polls. However, it remains unclear whether he will contest in the upcoming elections

StatsGuru: States' fiscal challenges versus electoral compulsions

The promises, if implemented, will aggravate public finances to varying degrees in these states, depending on the parameters chosen

TN Assembly polls: Battle lines drawn, AIADMK switches to campaign mode

With a month to go for Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, the battle lines are clearly drawn and the AIADMK camp is making apparent efforts to get a headstart ahead of the ruling DMK bloc by quickly finalising the seat-sharing deal, identifying constituencies for itself and allies and switching on to the campaign mode. The Edappadi K Palaniswami-led AIADMK, which leads the NDA in Tamil Nadu will take on the DMK in certain urban centres considered to be the ruling party's stronghold. The assembly polls will be held on April 23 and counting of votes taken up on May 4. Determined to win over 210 out of the 234 Assembly constituencies in the state, the AIADMK has announced that it would contest from 169 seats, leaving the rest to allies, while the DMK has readied its poll battle machinery in as many as 175 constituencies. For its part, the Stalin-led party has set a target to secure over 200 seats. DMK has announced that 'Rising Sun' will be in fray from 175 Assembly segments, indicating it wo

ECI orders prior approval for political ads ahead of Assembly elections

The Election Commission has directed political parties and candidates to seek pre-approval for ads across TV and digital platforms amid concerns over misinformation and AI misuse in campaigns

BJP releases second list of 39 candidates for Kerala Assembly elections

The BJP on Thursday released the second list of 39 candidates for the Kerala Assembly polls, fielding former state BJP president and former Mizoram governor Kummanam Rajasekharan from Aranmula seat. The party named CC Mukandan as it's candidate from Nattila seat. Deepak Puzhakkal will contest from Tanur seat and Aswinini ML from Kasaragod, according to the list released by the BJP. Pathmasree M will contest from Manjeri constituency and Renu Suresh from Kongad seat. BJP had earlier released the names of 47 candidates in its first list.

West Bengal Assembly polls: Trinamool Congress drops 74 sitting MLAs

Mamata Banerjee's TMC drops 74 sitting MLAs in Bengal poll list, signalling a generational shift; Congress also unveils first list for Kerala Assembly elections

Assembly elections in five states from April 9, results on May 4

EC announces April polling for five states and Puducherry, with Bengal voting in two phases and results scheduled for May 4

Election Commission to announce assembly poll dates for five states today

The Election Commission will announce dates for assembly polls on Sunday evening. Polls are due in West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry. The poll authority has convened a press conference at 4 pm to announce the schedule. The terms of these legislative assemblies are ending on different dates in May and June. Final electoral rolls of the four states and the Union territory of Puducherry have been published as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters' list.

The economics and art of giving: TN elections may revive freebie debate

With elections in Tamil Nadu approaching, the 'investment or freebie' debate, as part of the overall development question, is likely to resume

Elections and diplomacy set to shape New Delhi's packed 2026 calendar

As India enters a busy election year in 2026, Archis Mohan explains how domestic politics and foreign engagement will intersect

Beyond legacy, towards power as heirs vie for votes in state elections

Across southern and eastern India, upcoming Assembly elections place the spotlight on political heirs looking to translate legacy, governance and organisation into votes

Modi sounds poll bugle in Bengal, Assam; flags illegal immigration

PM hits out at TMC & Congress over the illegal immigrant issue; Opposition accuses him of neglecting other concerns in both states

Bihar voters have spoken, the new government must now keep its promises

As things stand, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is expected to lead the government again and, having been mostly at the helm since 2005, is well aware of where the state stands